WILMINGTON, Ohio — The Ohio Air National Guard successfully completed a first-of-its-kind “Live in ‘25” exercise at the Wilmington Air Park, May 1-5, 2025. The exercise simulated a deployed environment in the Indo-Pacific region and included participants from all Ohio National Guard wings and geographically separated units.
“Our entire Air National Guard is here at Wilmington to deliver airpower and exercise agile combat employment,” said Maj. Gen. David B. Johnson, Ohio assistant adjutant general for Air.
The Wilmington Air Park hosted the Ohio Air National Guard, with Airmen utilizing all parts of the installation.
“When Ohio Air National Guard units land, conduct hot pit refueling, take off and do their other operations in this exercise, we’ll support them with the same world-class facilities and assets that make us one of the busiest cargo-focused and industrial airports in the country,” said Alex Beres, executive director of the Clinton County Port Authority and Wilmington Air Park. “Our state is on the forefront of a new wave of innovative defense-related activities, and this is just another great effort to do what we can to support our nation’s military readiness and show that it can be done right here in Ohio, by Ohioans.”
Personnel from the 121st Air Refueling Wing, Columbus; 178th Wing, Springfield; 179th Cyberspace Wing, Mansfield; and 180th Fighter Wing, Toledo, were among the Ohio National Guard Airmen who arrived equipped to establish a fully operational air base in Wilmington.
“The Airmen are experiencing things that they’ve never experienced before,” Johnson said. “Typically, when we deploy, we go to an established base, and we have people that will defend the base for us. That’s not going to be the case in a contested environment.”
Embracing the Air Force’s Multi-Capable Airman concept, the participating Ohio Air National Guard members were expected to adapt to the environment, protect the base and flight line, and successfully complete air operations.
“Our Airmen will be doing all of the mission sets,” Johnson said. “Whether you’re a mechanic or a medic, it’s everyone’s responsibility to defend the base.”
The five-day operation included simulated attacks from a mock foreign adversary. Soldiers from the Ohio Army National Guard’s 2nd Squadron, 107th Calvary Regiment relentlessly created challenges for the Airmen to overcome, including attempted base breaches, bombings, shootings and extensive collection of intelligence.
“I think we are going to learn a lot of lessons over the next 24 to 48 hours on placement of tents, dispersion of people, cover, concealment, camouflage techniques, patrolling, doing different things to try to defend and deter an enemy from aggressing on their positions,” said Brig. Gen. Matthew S. Woodruff, Ohio adjutant general.
Airmen demonstrated their expertise across a range of skills, including civil engineering, security, medical support, communications and intelligence, as well as fighter, cargo and refueling operations. In addition, Airmen deployed a mobile kitchen unit, highlighting the Ohio National Guard’s capability for self-sustained operations in any environment.
“The active component, both Army and Air Force, can’t do what they do without the National Guard,” Woodruff said. “And Ohio being one of the largest states in our nation, with capabilities across the board from all four air wings that do very dynamic and diverse things, to our Army forces who spread across all different facets of the Army capabilities, they’re going to be integral in the fight.”
The Ohio Air National Guard plans to continue similar simulations to ensure mission readiness and adaptability, further developing their interoperability and lethality.
“I want my Airmen ready to go, to fight the fight,” Johnson said. “Our motto is ‘Fly, Fight and Win,’ and we need to train like we fight.”